The present invention relates generally to the field of taste profiling, and more particularly to generating flavor profile models.
Taste is a sensory impression of food, or other substance, on the tongue. The sensory impression is produced when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor cells on taste buds. Taste, along with smell and nerve stimulation (e.g., texture, pain, and temperature) determines the flavor of a substance.
In general taste of any food item is characterized by five basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Each taste is a result of variances in the chemical structure, smell, and nerve stimulation. Virtual taste, i.e., the ability to provide flavor without eating a substance, is an emerging technology. The five taste characteristics can be mimicked via an electronic device, by varying electronic pulses sent to the device when placed on a user's tongue.